Stop Improper ADU Sewer Fees—Enforce California Law
Homeowners Are Being Hit With Unexpected Sewer Fees
Some Ojai Valley homeowners report being charged more than $10,000 in sewer capacity fees when building an Accessory Dwelling Unit—even when the ADU used the property’s existing private sewer lateral rather than a new or separate connection directly to the utility.

In some cases, homeowners say these charges were not clearly disclosed before construction began. Charges have appeared after projects were underway or completed, and some have subsequently been placed on property-tax bills.

If you built or proposed an ADU in the Ojai Valley and encountered an OVSD capacity charge, please tell us what happened:

https://adurights.org/contact/

We will not publicly share your name or personal story without your permission.

What Is Happening?
The Ojai Valley Sanitary District has imposed substantial capacity charges on some ADUs. Whether a particular charge was legally permissible may depend on:

The type of ADU involved
Whether OVSD required a new or separate connection directly between the ADU and the utility
Whether the ADU used the property’s existing private sewer lateral
Whether the charge was proportionate to the ADU’s burden on the sewer system
When and how the homeowner was notified
Some homeowners report charges exceeding $10,000, and in certain cases approaching $15,000.

These unexpected charges can delay projects, create financial hardship, and discourage homeowners from building needed housing.

What Does California Law Say?
California Government Code § 66311.5 distinguishes between different types of ADUs.

For certain conversion ADUs and qualifying Junior ADUs, a local agency or special district generally may not require a new or separate utility connection directly between the unit and the utility—or impose a related connection fee or capacity charge.

For other ADUs, a new or separate utility connection may be required. A connection fee or capacity charge associated with that connection must be proportionate to the ADU’s burden on the utility system and may not exceed the reasonable cost of providing the service.

These distinctions deserve careful enforcement when a homeowner’s ADU uses an existing private sewer lateral.

Why This Matters
ADUs help California families:

House aging parents
Provide homes for adult children
Create rental housing
Offset rising household costs
Homeowners should receive clear and timely information about substantial sewer charges before committing their savings and beginning construction.

What We Are Asking
We call upon the appropriate state and local authorities to:

Investigate how sewer connection fees and capacity charges are being applied to ADUs
Clarify when a new or separate utility connection is legally required
Ensure that any capacity charge complies with California law
Require clear disclosure of substantial charges before construction begins
Provide corrective action or refunds when charges were improperly imposed
Establish fair, transparent, and consistent rules for future ADU owners
Take Action
Sign this petition. Share it with your neighbors. Tell us your story.

If you built or proposed an ADU, please preserve your plans, permits, bills, payment agreements, property-tax records, and correspondence with OVSD.

Tell us what happened:
https://adurights.org/contact/

Learn more:
https://adurights.org/

Contact:
admin@adurights.org

Together, we can help ensure that California’s ADU laws are applied fairly and that homeowners receive clear information before being charged thousands of dollars.

General information only. Whether a particular charge was legally permissible depends on the ADU type, connection requirements, applicable law, and individual records.